


Splinter

by princess_mouse



Category: Black Veil Brides
Genre: Bad Days, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pouting, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 05:30:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13000857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princess_mouse/pseuds/princess_mouse
Summary: It's one of those days.





	Splinter

He was cute when he pouted.

Downright adorable in every sense of the word. The way his brown eyes got bigger and his bottom lip jutted out just enough to remind everyone of his scowl minus the furled eyebrows. Somehow, he managed to be attractive in every way to Andy whether he was pouting, scowling, smiling, or had resting bitch face.

Across the room he watched Ashley pout.

It had been a day and by a day Andy knew he could probably list about four things off the top of his head that were disturbing Ashley’s natural ‘no care attitude’. It could have been because Ashley was tired and hadn’t slept well the night before or that CC was playing keep away on the bus with his LA hat. Maybe it was over Jinxx calling Ashley ridiculous because of his gold shoes or that he spilt his Starbucks when they got into the venue. The list didn’t end there but those seemed to be some of the bigger factors to cause pouting. At sound check was when all hell broke loose. It was one malfunction after another. Ashley’s bass cut out first followed by his mic. Jinxx and Jake took that moment to lightly tease and make some bass player jokes.

Jinxx cackled away as he told his joke, “What's the difference between a vacuum cleaner and a bassist? The vacuum cleaner has to be plugged in to suck.”

“What do you throw a drowning bass player? His Amp,” Jake said giggling as he looked at Ashley hoping it’d lighten the mood.

If anything, it made him lower lip poke out more and he seemed to become increasingly silent. There were no comebacks or accepting laughter. No sarcastic comments or low blows about the guitarists were made. Ashley’s tech got the bass working again and a new mic for him. They continued soundcheck like any other gig then headed off to their meet and greet.

Andy offered Ashley his spot at the end of the table so he didn’t have to sit next to Jinxx. The whole meet and greet Ashley forced his smile. He was shyer and withdrawn which made Andy turn to ask him if he was okay. It felt like defeat when the smaller man shrugged and hid his face behind his hair.

Now across the room sat Ashley pouting in the mirror as he lined his eyes with eyeliner. He’d yet to start on his war paint or hair. He looked as if he was fighting his own internal battle as he tried to motivate himself to get ready. All the while near him CC was snipping comments about the show starting soon. Ashley dropped the eyeliner pencil onto the table and took in his reflection before reaching for his mascara.

“Shit!” Ashley yelped and withdrew his hand away from the table. He shook his right hand in the air as if to shake off whatever hurt him then went to closely inspect his fingers.

Andy took that as his cue to get up from his spot across the room and come to the rescue. He loved to see Ashley pout but the look on his face was now shock and pain which he hated. He sat down on the chair directly next to Ashley and gave him that soft loving look that was only reserved for the bassist.

“What’s wrong panda?” Andy asked affectionately. His smile was sympathetic against his sharp features and his heart almost melted when he saw Ashley’s brown eyes look up at him. There was so much sadness in his eyes and his bottom lip quivered.

Ashley wanted to crawl into the younger man’s lap and let all the frustrations of his day out. Usually he was the one who held Andy and allowed him to break down, he wiped away tears and kissed his cheeks until he smiled. Right now, all he wanted was Andy to hold him like his grandma used too when he upset as a small child. He was aware that he was a pouty mess today, but it felt like the world was against him since he woke up. Andy was kindly waiting for him to answer his question.

“I got a splinter,” Ashley said lowly through his pouting lips.

Andy reached out his hand to gently take hold of Ashley’s thin wrist which he pulled over into his lap. He inspected the bassist’s right hand to see the splinter sticking out of his middle finger. He rubbed his thumb across Ashley’s palm to comfort him. “Awh Ashes, it’s okay. It’s just a splinter I can easily remove it,” Andy said looking back up to Ashley.

“No! It’s fine. It’ll fall out on its own,” Ashley said pulling his wrist free of Andy’s grip.

It was a look Andy had never seen before. He wasn’t used to seeing Ashley look scared. It was a small splinter big enough to pull out with tweezers but from the way it was angled in could be stubborn. He knew that it wouldn’t fall out on its own.

“If you leave it in then it’ll get infected and we’ll have to cut your finger off,” CC said looking over at them from his spot in front of the floor length mirror.

Ashley paled at the comment and looked as if he was about to pass out from the thought. Andy on the other hand gave him that comforting look and reached out for his hand again. “Panda common you need to play tonight and it’s going to really hurt playing bass with that splinter in your finger,” Andy said completely ignoring CC’s offhand comment.

“I don’t want you to cut it out,” Ashley mumbled. He kept his eyes downcast and tried not to let all his fears show. He had horrible memories of getting splinters as a child. His mom handled them differently than his grandma did. She usually went after splinters with a needle or a razor when they were in too deep. All those memories of watching his grandma remove his splinters made him feel queasy. He felt a lump rising in his throat and he swallowed thickly trying to push that uneasy feeling back down.

Andy could hear the subtle changes in his boyfriend’s breathing. He noticed that Ashley swayed a little forward and back. “I can remove it with tweezers. I promise,” Andy said trying to reassure the smaller man. Andy stood up and pulled Ashley’s wrist hinting for him to stand up too. He placed his hand on the small of Ashley’s back and guided him to the bathroom.

Out of the kindness of his heart CC grabbed the small first aid kit and brought it to Andy. Jinxx and Jake snickered calling him a suck up. He trudged back into the room to finish his make up but not before telling the two guitarists off for being jerks.

Back in the bathroom Andy could feel Ashley’s hand shaking as he turned on the sink and pushed the injured hand under the warm spray. Ashley winced and tried to pull away but Andy held it under the water. He hummed their song as he cleaned the area around the splinter much to Ashley’s distaste. He wanted to ask why a splinter upset his boyfriend so much though he figured Ash probably had enough for one day.

“All clean,” Andy said releasing Ashley’s hand. The smaller man inspected the splinter as if it could have gotten worse from being cleaned. Andy tried to stifle a laugh as he gripped Ashley’s hips and lifted him up to sit on the counter. He wedged his way between his boyfriend’s thin legs and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Do you trust me?” he asked kissing Ashley’s cheek next.

A nervous laugh found it’s way out of Ashley’s pouting lips and he smiled a little. “Of course, I trust you,” he said looking up through his thick eyelashes.

“I promise my little outlaw I won’t hurt you,” Andy said stepping back to grab the first aid kit. He could feel Ashley’s eyes burning holes through him as he opened the first aid kit and took out the tweezers. He snickered over the box of Hello Kitty band-aids that were in the first aid kit along with Batman. Their tour manager had a good sense of humor.

Ashley offered his shaking hand willingly and sucked in a deep breath. He kept staring at Andy’s blue eyes to distract himself. He didn’t know if he could watch the splinter being removed from his finger without that instant feeling of dizziness hitting him. Andy’s hands were always so gentle especially how he held Ashley’s hand steadily in his own while his free hand set to work.

He started to hum their song as he steadied the tweezers and pinched them around the splinter. He could sense Ashley tensing up and he started to lightly sing as he pulled the splinter free from its fleshy prison, “So take your hand in mine, its ours tonight, this is a rebel love song.”

In between the tweezers was the splinter that was causing all of Ashley’s anxiety. Andy smiled triumphantly and looked up to see his boyfriend staring at him. “Got it!” he said enthusiastically holding up the splinter to show Ashley.

“Great...,” Ashley replied looking a bit pale. He was happy the offensive object was removed but that didn’t stop his stomach from turning.

Andy laughed and put the tweezers aside. He dug out the antiseptic cream applying a little bit to Ashley’s middle finger and proceeded to apply one of the pink Hello Kitty band-aids. Andy pulled Ashley’s hand up and kissed the freshly dressed wound. “All better?” he asked hoping that he managed to prevent any pain.

“Didn’t feel a thing,” Ashley said smiling back at Andy.

It had been a terrible day, the kind that made him pout and feel sad. He didn’t sleep well, his bandmates were making jokes at his expense, and he spilt his Starbucks all over the dressing room. It didn’t matter that his bass stopped working in soundcheck or that he got a splinter because Andy was there waiting to comfort him.

Andy could feel the butterflies creeping through his stomach and up his throat. He loved when Ashley pouted because it eventually meant he would have to smile. It would light up Andy’s world, it kept him warm and happy for days. His hands came up to cup Ashley’s cheeks and he really looked at him. Brown eyes looked back at him as a blush painted the bassist’s pale features. He was truly beautiful no matter what was going on. Andy pecked a kiss to Ashley’s little nose.

“I know today’s been awful for you Ashes,” Andy said kissing Ashley’s nose again and marvelling in how such a simple little gesture could make the older man’s features light up. “Once the shows over I’m going to cuddle you in your bunk and kiss away any remaining sadness,” Andy promised with another kiss.

Ashley’s face was starting to hurt from all the smiling he was doing. Andy was the only person in his life that could cause such a reaction. The affection made him naturally high and he wished the show was over. He couldn’t wait to have Andy’s long arms wrapped around his waist and the feeling of kisses being pressed along his neck. He felt a different kind of dizziness hit him in the moment as he gazed into his lover’s crystal blue eyes.

“I love you,” Ashley hummed.

Andy’s lips ever so softly captured Ashley’s in an loving kiss. There was no fight for dominance or rush. They savored the moment till someone knocked on the bathroom door reminding them the show started soon. Andy pulled away and caught his breath. Ashley bothered his bottom lip in that endearing shy way that could easily ruin Andy and drive him wild.

He caressed Ashley’s cheek and grinned, “I love you more.”

**Author's Note:**

> This idea hit me as I stood in the shower scowling at a splinter I got in the barn! 
> 
> Thus a moment for Andy to be a hero and Ashley to be adorably pouty.


End file.
